Fuji 645Zi / Pentax 645 film orientation

[Voyager]

Moving ever so slowly from my little-used Hasselblad toward a Fuji 645Zi. I've searched APUG's relevant posts, but I need a verification on item. One poster mentioned that the Fuji 645 negatives or oriented vertically--meaning, I take it, that the wide dimension is not oriented horizontally, as in a 35mm. Is this the case? (that would be a deal breaker). And the Pentax 645?--same story?

 

[r-brian]

If the film is loaded left to right, then the negative orientation will be vertical (portrait); loaded top to bottom, then horizontal (landscape).

 

[Jeremy]

One poster mentioned that the Fuji 645 negatives or oriented vertically--meaning, I take it, that the wide dimension is not oriented horizontally, as in a 35mm. Is this the case? (that would be a deal breaker).

That is correct. The viewfinder in the Fuji 6x4.5 series of rangefinders is oriented vertically. All 6x4.5 negatives (regardless of the camera) are oriented vertically on the strip of negatives as this is how you fit 15-16 exposures. There are 645 cameras (the majority of them) which have the viewfinder oriented horizontally, i.e. the Mamiya 6x4.5 cameras.

 

[Voyager]

Well, thanks for the posts R and J...the Mamiya 645 Pro that I had a few years back was horizontal, and that's what I expected of the Fuji and the Pentax...but your explanation clears it up.

 

[winger]

With the Pentax, the film moves from top to bottom, so the camera is held like a 35mm.